7/13/2017 Basketball - Wikipedia

Basketball is a non-contact sport played on a rectangular court. While most often played as a team sport with five
players on each side, three-on-three, two-on-two, and one-on-one competitions are also common. The objective is
to shoot a ball through a hoop 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter and 10 feet (3.048 m) high that is mounted to
a backboard at each end of the court. The game was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, who would be the first
basketball coach of the Kansas Jayhawks, one of the most successful programs in the game's history.
A team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket being defended by the opposition team during
regular play. A field goal scores three points for the shooting team if the player shoots from behind the three-point
line, and two points if shot from in front of the line. A team can also score via free throws, which are worth one point,
after the other team is assessed with certain fouls. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but
additional time (overtime) is mandated when the score is tied at the end of regulation. The ball can be advanced on
the court by passing it to a teammate, or by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling). It is a violation to lift, or
drag, one's pivot foot without dribbling the ball, to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling.
The game has many individual techniques for displaying skillball-handling, shooting, passing, dribbling, dunking,
shot-blocking, and rebounding. Basketball teams generally have player positions, the tallest and strongest members
of a team are called a center or power forward, while slightly shorter and more agile players are called small forward,
and the shortest players or those who possess the best ball handling skills are called a point guard or shooting
guard. The point guard directs the on court action of the team, implementing the coach's game plan, and managing
the execution of offensive and defensive plays (player positioning).
Basketball is one of the world's most popular and widely viewed sports.[1] The National Basketball Association (NBA)
is the most popular and widely considered to be the highest level of professional basketball in the world and NBA
players are the world's best paid athletes by average annual salary per player.[2][3] Outside North America, the top
clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as the Euroleague and FIBA Americas
League. The FIBA Basketball World Cup attracts the top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts
regional competitions for national teams, like EuroBasket and FIBA Americas Championship.
The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup features the top national women's basketball teams from continental
championships. The main North American league is the WNBA, whereas the EuroLeague Women has been
dominated by teams from the Russian Women's Basketball Premier League.

Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 Creation
1.2 College basketball
1.3 High school basketball
1.4 Professional basketball
1.5 International basketball
1.6 Women's basketball
2 Rules and regulations
2.1 Playing regulations
2.2 Equipment
2.3 Violations
2.4 Fouls
3 Common techniques and practices
3.1 Positions
3.2 Strategy
3.3 Shooting
3.4 Rebounding
3.5 Passing
3.6 Dribbling
3.7 Blocking
4 Height
5 Race and ethnicity
6 Variations and similar games
7 Social forms of basketball
8 Fantasy basketball
9 See also
10 References
11 Further reading
12 External links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball 1/2